Ratchet & Clank: Home
by Grind3r
Summary: Ratchet and Clank are forced into a whole new world with some bizarre secrets. Until they save the humans, they are stuck.
1. Escape

**Some stuff to say here: I ****claim no ownership to the characters, settings, or anything else related to the Ratchet & Clank universe or the Inheritance Cycle universe. This fanfiction is 110% not-for-profit.**

**Warning: Slight and weak profanity, and some violence.  
**

**Note: This is best read at 3/4 size.  
**

Ratchet looked upon the hovering landing pad as a crowd of aliens; Novalians, Rilgarians, and he even saw a couple of squid huddling along on thick tentacles; boarded the Starship Phoenix. After all of Ratchet's adversaries: Drek, the Protopet, Nefarious, Gleeman Vox, Otto, Tachyon, and Nefarious (again), this one was the worst: the Black. It was not an organism, but a force ripping apart planets, and feeding off the organic life on that planet until it was a black shadow. The only way of stopping it was to evacuate the entire galaxy and then annihilate it. Already, the few worlds left had been evacuated and are now travelling to the Polaris galaxy. The Phoenix was being launched to the centre of the galaxy to destroy it and the Black.

" Quick! It's leaving in a few seconds!" cried Clank, and Ratchet hurried aboard. The Aphelion was parked in the back of the starship, ready to be flown far enough away to the Phoenix to safely detonate a device known as the Chronoscepter. As powerful as it was, it was their best hope. In hours, the Phoenix was close enough to the galaxy, and the Aphelion had been fired. With a dazzling flash, the Phoenix was shook violently, but it was heading toward the Aphelion, and not away from the shockwave. When the light subsided, Ratchet knew why: the Chronoscepter had _imploded_, not exploded. As the stars around them stopped shining, the Phoenix was pulled into what was now a black hole.

Not a black hole... a wormhole. Next thing Ratchet knew, he was heading toward a world that looked like Novalis. Flames appeared around the phoenix, and after a few minutes of falling, Ratchet was thrown several feet and knocked unconscious. He had a vision of Sasha before waking. She had been assassinated years ago, before his fight with Tachyon. Everyone Ratchet knew had been killed, except Qwark, Clank, the Plumber, and Al, who were all on the Phoenix. He got up, and saw that all the Rilgarians had been killed, as well as the squids and most Novalians. Not only that, but a steel rod had been forced through Qwark's body, killing him. Despite what he had put Ratchet through, Ratchet still mourned.

A ceremony would have taken place, had survival been as easy here as it was in the Solana Galaxy. Suffice to say, it wasn't. Right now, they were all most worried about that survival. Ratchet looked around, the only distinguishing feature were tall mountains that seemed to pierce the sky. Apart from that, the planet was trees, trees, and more trees.

"Ah!" cried Al as he pointed out what looked like a huge pig; a huge boar; the size of the Aphelion.

" Ratchet!" cried Clank. Ratchet rushed to him to retrieve a weapon: one of his favourites that he chose to save, the Visibomb Gun. He steered the bomb into the boar, and it was no more.

" Ratchet, what are we going to do for food?" asked one of the Novalians.

" I'll check the food compartment, and if there's nothing there, we're having Pork." Replied Ratchet.

He checked, and as he predicted, all the food was a gooey mess. Everyone walked to where the boar was killed. The explosion had killed it, but it hadn't burnt it. By the time they managed to find the wood to cook the boar on, it was already getting dark. They ate in quiet, before sleeping on the cold dirt. Ratchet had a dream, that felt like reality. He saw Sasha, chained to a cold black dungeon. A human with a red scabbard on his hip, and long black hair, gave her food and a jug of water. The sight of her, and a _human_ woke Ratchet instantly. He saw that the sun was only just rising, the sky was dark blue, and the stars still shone. He couldn't fall back asleep, so he laid back and watched the sunrise. When he had laid back long enough, he pushed Clank's on button and told him about the dream.

" She's dead. You _know_ that. You saw the body. You saw the black blade. You saw it all." Replied Clank.

" Yeah I know. I also know that humans are extinct. Dan was the last of them, and there are statues of him all over the galaxy."

" Ratchet..."

" Yeah..."

" I think this is another universe. No planet I've heard of is like this. It seems likely, then, that there could be humans here. But Sasha... if she's here, she won't know you. She won't know anything about our universe, and she won't even be Sasha, merely an identical creature."

" Yeah, but what if we are alone?"

" I pray we are not."

" A robot praying? Now I've seen everything." Ratchet woke everyone quickly, so they can continue.

" Everybody, there might be civilisations along those mountains, but there also might not be. Most species would prefer flat ground, so we should continue in the opposite direction. All who agree say Aye" he explained.

" Aye" said Clank.

" Aye" said Al and everybody else.

" Oh heck, we're boned anyway. Aye." Said the Plumber.

As all of the vehicles on the Phoenix had been destroyed or are immobile, their only course of action was on foot. Throughout the day they did so, despite constant chafing and bruising, as those in their society did not walk often for this long. Shortly after a lunch of a few small animals cooked with the help of Ratchet's Pyrocitor (a flamethrower), the survivors stumbled upon a track. When Ratchet finally caught up with the rest of them, he saw the track, the long gouges, and finally what looked like crescent shaped footprints.

" Which way should we go, Ratchet?" asked a Novalian.

" Both ends would lead to some town. I say left." Replied Ratchet. They walked on in that direction, until the sun was setting and they could walk no more. After another small meal each, Ratchet spotted something blue flying across the sun.

**AN: This was quite an interesting story idea that I've had the last few days. Some terms on the Ratchet & Clank side will be confusing to Inheritance fans, and while I've done my best to explain anything of importance, if there's something you want to look up, google would be your best tool.**

**Well, time for a sneak peek: How does Clank get his electricity?**


	2. From the Void

**Some stuff to say here: I ****claim no ownership to the characters, settings, or anything else related to the Ratchet & Clank universe or the Inheritance Cycle universe. This fanfiction is 110% not-for-profit.**

**Warning: Slight and weak profanity, and some violence.  
**

**Note: This is best read at 3/4 size.**

The blue point of light had redoubled their efforts. Everybody woke so early in the morning that the sun was just rising. Once again, the dreams of the man with the red sword and Sasha occurred to Ratchet, but this time he saw more. He felt that she were picking at the food without seeing it. Before the dream ended, she said "K...". When they were awake, the dot was much larger. It looked like a blue aircraft, that seemed as if it were flapping. Ratchet merely discredited that theory as hot and cold air bending light.

" Ratchet, I do not recognise that aircraft at all. None of them in the trigalactic area match that brilliant blue, flapping aircraft." Said Clank. Ratchet realised with a jolt that it _was_ flapping.

" What kind of an aircraft flaps?" asked Ratchet, "Here, I have the straps ready." He tied Clank and started walking along with everyone else.

" Aircraft with flapping wings do not stay in the air long. It is almost impossible for a machine to produce enough lift to keep the thing aloft. No, what is a greater possibility is that that over there is some sort of bird. Maybe even a dragon."

" Considering the size of that, a dragon is what it seems to be. Hey, do you think dragons can breathe fire here?"

" Sure. There is a type of dragon native to Oblung that breathed fire by fermenting food to produce alcohol to burn via a spark created by rubbing two small metallic tissues together."

" Whatever that means..."

The bird/dragon was nearing them later that morning. It had a clearly defined neck and clearly defined wings.

" Should we shoot it? I've had more than a fair share of vicious dragons" asked the Plumber when Ratchet revealed that it was a dragon of some kind.

" I don't think so. Wait for it to show intelligence, and if it does, _don't shoot_." Replied Ratchet. The dragon was flying closer, and out of nowhere, a voice said "Drop your weapons". The voice, unlike any normal voice, came from within Ratchet's mind. Everybody, being startled, shot all around the woods, knocking over the trees. When nothing came out, Ratchet cried " Who said that?"

_The man on the dragon. Drop your weapons or prepare to be burnt_, thought the voice. Shaking, everybody dropped their weapons and raised their hands. Slowly, the features of the dragon became more complex, revealing a man riding it. The dragon landed with two strong flaps, and the man jumped off.

" I am Eragon Shadeslayer" said the man.

_And I am Saphira Brightscales_, thought a feminine voice.

" Who's Saphira?" asked Ratchet.

_I am of course_, thought the voice with a hint of anger. At everyone's confusion, the voice said _the dragon_.

" The question is, who are you?" Eragon asked.

" I am Ratchet, a Lombax" he replied. He had decided to not include his homeworld as he had a feeling Eragon had never heard of it.

" What is a Lombax?" asked Eragon.

" A humanoid type of creature"

"Humanoid?"

" You know, a head, two arms, two feet, the basic Human Shape."

" Either way, I'll have to take you to Queen Nasuada of the Revolutionary Kingdom"

" Surely not all of us will fit on Saphira."

" Not everyone, just you Ratchet."

" What's going to happen to the rest of us?" asked Al.

" Murtagh's going to take you to King Orrin of Surda"

In seconds, a red dragon flew out of the woods, and the man on the dragon told everyone to follow him. Eragon had climbed on the dragon, and Ratchet did the same, Clank on his back.

" Tell me, are you human?" asked Ratchet.

" Part Human, part Elf"

" Elf?"

" They're like men, but with feline faces, angled eyes, thin bodies, pointed ears, delica – "

" Okay, I get the idea" Ratchet interrupted, "So, how common are the Humans?"

" Oh, we're everywhere" replied Eragon. Ratchet thought that the Humans could be repopulated, but these people would be about three thousand years behind. He looked down, and saw that they were already flying.

" So, how far are we from the Queen?"

" About a few thousand miles. Say, do you have much experience with weapons?" asked Eragon.

" A load of guns, rocket shooters, and the like."

" Gun?"

" Like a mini-cannon"

" What about something like a bow or a sword?"

" I once used a sword made of energy, but for all my melee needs, I use my trusty wrench"

"Wrench?"

" Honestly, do your questions ever end?"

"...No."

" I'll show you my wrench when we land."

The flight had lasted all day, and they all camped within a small clearing. Eragon quickly told Ratchet the details of Alagaesia, and pointed out the city they were going to.

" ...But it is no longer called Uru'baen, it's now renamed Illirea." Eragon finished.

" You know how you wanted to see my wrench?" asked Ratchet.

" Yeah..." replied Eragon. Ratchet brought out his wrench out of Clank's body.

" Lombaxes have always used wrenches as weapons."

" Show me your skills..."

Eragon brought a stick of wood, and swung it at Ratchet, but Ratchet swung his wrench, and partially broke the stick.

" Maybe we should try using my sword."

" My wrench would easily destroy your sword."

" Nah, my sword is stronger than the average."

" And if it cuts through the wrench?"

" Good point. Here, I'll get you a stick." Eragon snapped off a medium-length stick with superhuman strength, and threw it at Ratchet, who caught it with one hand. The two of them whacked at each other's sticks, and their sticks bent slightly, and the thin skin cracked. Eragon jumped away, Ratchet jumped forward, and whacked Eragon's stick in two, and then before he moved, Eragon used his other half stick to quickly hit Ratchet's stick out of his hand.

" I guess that was okay. With practise, you should get better at it." Said Eragon.

" Well, after all, I am used to guns."

That night, Ratchet dreamed of Sasha again, but the red-sworded man was not there. She was looking toward the outside in fear. Ratchet looked out of the bars, and saw a city full of poorly built wooden houses, and four tall mountains in the distance. Before Ratchet could do anything, a black sword emerged from his stomach, and he awoke with a jolt.

**AN: I never said the sneak peek was for _this_ chapter :) Reviews would be gladly appreciated, whether positive or critical :)  
**


	3. The Shade

**Some stuff to say here: I ****claim no ownership to the characters, settings, or anything else related to the Ratchet & Clank universe or the Inheritance Cycle universe. This fanfiction is 110% not-for-profit.**

**Warning: Slight and weak profanity, and some violence.  
**

**Note: This is best read at 3/4 size.**

Ratchet was panting heavily, the stab had felt so real. He looked down at his bare stomach, and saw with a relief that the skin was unbroken. While he usually wore no shirt, Eragon had suggested that he should wear one in front of other people. However, Ratchet found them uncomfortable, and preferred to sleep without one.

" What did you dream of?" asked Eragon.

" Did I wake you up?" asked Ratchet in return. Eragon laughed.

" I haven't slept since the transformation that left me part Elf"

" Right. Well, I have repetitive dreams concerning the woman I love, Sasha. I see her in a cell, twice being fed by a man with a red sword, the third time, looking out toward a city with wooden houses next to four solitary mountains."

" Four solitary mountains... Were the buildings leaning on each other?"

"...Yeah?"

" The city we're talking about is Dras-Leona. It won't be much of a difference to our course."

" You're gonna help me look?"

" Of course. I once had dreams of a woman in a cell, and she turned out to be an Elf princess."

The flight to Dras-Leona lasted the rest of the day. When it was night, they stopped just outside of the city.

" I'd rather not sleep in the city if you could be a target. You know, the last time I was here, my cousin and I battled the Ra'zac in one of those mountains."

" Ra'zac? What are they? Insects?"

" Close. They have a shell like insects, but they also have big black eyes, a long beak, a purple tongue, and when they reach the age of twenty, they become big bat-like creatures called the Lethrblaka."

" Did you kill them?"

" Yes. As far as I know, they are extinct."

" Before we enter the city, there's something you should know. Firstly, Sasha isn't human. Secondly, on my back, is a robot. A robot is pretty much a machine that can think for itself. Clank!" explained Ratchet. At his word, Clank's green eyes opened.

" Hello, sir. Hello, dragon." He said.

_My name is Saphira!_ Her mental shout was spread to everyone in the camp.

" My apologies, Saphira. The only other dragon's I've met were beasts that have tried to kill Ratchet and I."

" Clank, give me my wrench and my whip" said Ratchet. Clank did so, and Ratchet readied his whip, and whipped a small tree. The tree was split in two, and the splits were glowing red.

" Excellent!" cried Ratchet. Eragon made no comment, except to say "Be sure not to whip me with that"

Shortly after, Eragon had "reached out" with his mind, but he had only found humans, humans, and more humans.

" But I sense something very dark in the mountains, which are called Helgrind. Our best chance for finding Sasha is in Helgrind. If it is what I think it is, we should wait until morning."

" While we wait, please, tell me about your kind."

" Before I do, maybe I should show you one." Eragon dug a small hole, and filled it with water from a small spell. Rather than pester the man, Ratchet made no comment about the magic. He said two words, and Ratchet saw a man with shaggy brown hair, grey eyes, and a rather muscular body.

" That is my cousin, Roran." Said Eragon before ending the spell. "Our people are many. We have a lot of cities, a few have been destroyed in a war. We often eat meat as a sign of wealth, however I choose not to. I could talk all night and not scratch the surface."

They broke some bread before going to sleep. Ratchet's dreams involved Sasha being locked in a cell, in a cave. A single tear rolled down her cheek.

" Now we _know_ she's in Helgrind." Was all Eragon said. Ratchet woke Clank, and put him on the shoulder straps. Eragon and Ratchet climbed onto Saphira, and with a giant lurch, she was flying. Eragon told her which mountain to go to, and they all slid into a cave on the mountain. What was inside shocked Ratchet nearly as much as it shocked Eragon. The entire mountain had been hollowed out, and there was some sort of light on the top.

" Oh my..." cried Eragon. On the bottom, was a ring of what could be Ra'zac, around what _could_ be a man, except he was a black blur.

" I'll whip the Ra'zac, and if that doesn't work, shoot them with the Anti-matter rifle." Said Ratchet. Both Ratchet and Eragon jumped from ten feet up, while Clank stayed on Saphira with his rifle. Instantly, Ratchet saw that Sasha wasn't there. It was a trap.

Ratchet readied his whip, and his wrench, as all of the Ra'zac turned to face him. With all his might, he whipped the first Ra'zac in two, broke the blade of the second Ra'zac before beheading him, and cut down two more Ra'zac in one swing.

_Never has it been this easy_, thought Eragon. He had already killed off the remaining Ra'zac, leaving the mass of shadows. Slowly, the shadows dissipated, leaving Sasha in what looked like a black robe. Her hair had become red, and her eyes had become black. Completely black.

" You pitiful lifeforms will never survive!" she said in an unnerving low otherworldly voice.

" Oh no... She's a Shade!" cried Eragon. Sasha merely laughed.

" I am no Shade. Years ago, I got the chance to take this puny body as my own, to connect myself among the non spiritual level. For thousands of years I existed only as thought but _NO MORE!_ Having met the Humans and the Lombaxes and all other species, I feel nothing but contempt for those who imprisoned me in the Void. I will have my revenge! I will wipe out all species and replace them with my own! And you will all suffer!" Sasha cried.

" Sasha! This is not who you truly are! You are strong! You can fight it, I know you can!" pleaded Ratchet. He hardly noticed when Saphira landed.

" This Sasha you speak of is dead. DEAD!" taunted Sasha as Ratchet struggled against Eragon, who was trying all of a sudden to pull him away, to flee. Even Clank was tugging at Ratchet's pants. The wrestling fit ended when Saphira picked Ratchet up with her left hand/paw, and Eragon jumped on her back.

" Get on, Clank!" cried Eragon.

" I'll hold it off..." replied Clank in an unnaturally amplified voice. Already, Sasha was trapped by Clank's unknown force.

" Clank, _noooooo_!" cried Ratchet, desperately trying to free himself from Saphira's grip, but to no avail. With one massive lurch, Saphira jumped up, and quickly flew to the cave entrance.

" Forgive me..." said Clank in a voice that was more amplified then before. As Saphira flew out of the hollow mountain, Ratchet heard Sasha's new unnatural voice one last time, his face wet with tears.

" I am the Black. No lump of metal can ever defeat me!" cried Sasha from within the hollow mountain. By the final note of her voice, Saphira was flying at breakneck speed over the city of Dras-Leona, when a light brighter than many suns completely obscured the four mountains. A massive shockwave spread out from that location, destroying Dras-Leona from underneath them. When Ratchet looked back, he saw a mushroom cloud slowly rise into the sky.

It didn't matter, nothing did anymore. Clank, Ratchet's best friend throughout all of his adventures, was gone, and Sasha was worse than dead.

**AN: Wow... What's going to happen next? Reviews would be gladly appreciated, whether positive or critical :)**


	4. Nanotech Syndrome

**Some stuff to say here: I ****claim no ownership to the characters, settings, or anything else related to the Ratchet & Clank universe or the Inheritance Cycle universe. This fanfiction is 110% not-for-profit.**

**Warning: Slight and weak profanity, and some violence.  
**

**Note: This is best read at 3/4 size.**

The brilliant light had temporarily blinded Ratchet. Luckily, his nanotech (small robots in the bloodstream that can heal wounds and injuries) had healed the blindness. However, he had so much nanotech in his system from various nanotech crates over the years, it was slowly killing him. He had told the Insomniac corporation everything about his adventures, except for this. Every now and again, a pain explodes within his body, and his limbs thrashed like Space Eels on fire. When he was with Clank, he would've tranquilised him, but now that he was dead, Ratchet could only wait.

... And wait.

... And wait.

... And wait.

Until at last, his fit was over. He was on the cold earth, Saphira and Eragon by his side, limbs aching, some broken bones, a chunk of his tongue bitten off, and cuts everywhere. Ratchet screamed as the nanotech healed him and gave him another fit... until Eragon was kind enough to knock him unconscious. When he woke, Eragon walked to his side.

" I had to knock you out. Otherwise..."

" It's okay. Thank you" replied Ratchet.

" What was that? Is it some sort of black curse?"

" No, a healing power that has grown fatal, if that makes any sense"

" Not really..."

" Tiny robots that have become destructive"

" Ah. I've had similar seizures before. The Shade Durza cut my back open, and I had seizures every few days to every few hours, until at a celebration, a rainbow dragon changed me."

" How can I heal a person of the spirit that resides within? How do I heal a Shade?"

" You can't. Her body is forever lost to this Black."

"No, it's not. I know she is still alive. I felt it inside her."

" I'm sorry. You cannot help her. All you can do is stab her through the heart"

" I cannot do that. All I can hope for is a cure."

" There is no cure"

" Have you found every secret of the land?"

" No, but..."

" Then there is a cure!"

" Ratchet! Will you not listen to reason!"

" No!"

" In that case, maybe I should tell you the true story behind Laetri Shadeslayer. You see, Elves and Dragon Riders are immortal, and since he survived killing the shade, I was able to speak with him after a war that consumed most of my life. You see, he saw fit, I don't know why, to tell me that the shade he killed, was his very own father. Before the Shade dealt the final blow, his eyes went white, his hair fell out, and so did his teeth. His father's last words were: 'Kill me, son, save yourself. You have made me so proud'. If anyone knows how to deal with this unusual Shade, he will. For now, we must fly to Illirea."

"Agreed. How long was I out?"

"A few hours." Eragon lent Ratchet his hand, and they climbed onto Saphira. With one lurch, they were flying.

_How proficient are you in riddles?_ Thought Saphira, once they were in the air.

" Not really that good, actually" replied Ratchet, glad to have a distraction from his thoughts.

_Tall I am young, short I am old. Fire is my friend, water is my foe. What am I?_

" Well, that's obvious, a fuse!"

" It's a candle" corrected Eragon after Ratchet guessed three more times.

" No fair! I know nothing of that ancient technology." Replied Ratchet. Saphira and Eragon passed around more riddles, until at night, the web of lights appeared in the distance. Landing was uneventful, and a black skinned woman was awaiting them. As Eragon and Ratchet climbed off Saphira, the black skinned woman introduced herself.

" I am Nasuada, Queen of the Revolution. Why is there such a delay?" she asked.

" A rescue mission that went horribly wrong." Said Eragon.

" Oh? How so?"

" We found another shade. It calls itself The Black. What worries me is how powerful it is. It was either able to bring Ra'zac from another continent, or it was able to resurrect them."

" No-one can resurrect the dead."

" Maybe it's possible, with the combined energy of every man in Alagaësia. Anyway, the Shade, sort of... exploded. It exploded inside Helgrind, and the explosion was big enough to wipe out nearby Dras Leona."

" Oh my... our worst fears have come back."

" Nasuada, with all due respect, the spirit inside Sasha is more powerful than any other. It exists in many universes, wiping out many planets. If we do not destroy the spirit soon, every living thing on this planet is dead. DEAD! Our only course of action is to meet Laetri, the first Shadeslayer. He is our only hope." Explained Ratchet.

" Eragon trusts you, and I do too. However, before you go, you need a weapon."

" I already have o – Eragon, where is my whip and my wrench?" Eragon squirmed slightly.

" Ahh... When you had your seizure, you sort of... fell. Your whip shattered..." Eragon explained, but Nasuada interrupted.

" Excuse me? His whip shattered?" she asked.

" The hilt. The whip itself is made of fire or electricity or something."

" And my wrench?" asked Ratchet.

" You whacked it everywhere during your seizure. It broke down what looks like metal fatigue." Eragon pulled out two halves of the wrench. Ratchet looked at it, dumbfounded, before putting each half in each pocket.

" You should leave for Ellesméra now, before The Black does any more damage." Said Nasuada. Eragon smiled slightly, before frowning.

" Laetri lives in Ceris. Why Ellesméra?" he asked.

" Rhunön." Replied Nasuada.

" Ah... Ratchet, you're going to get a new wrench!"

Ratchet smiled slightly, before Nasuada urged them to go.

" Normally I'd let you stay the night, but now there is a great hurry! Go! Go!"

When they were in the air, Ratchet was treated to a rather humorous game of truth or dare, until they stopped the next night to make a camp. Saphira flew off to hunt, while Eragon and Ratchet strode into the forest to look for fruits and vegetables. While Saphira ate her meat raw, Eragon decided to make a stew. He and Ratchet ate the vegetarian stew in silence.

" Why are you vegetarian?" asked Ratchet.

" After entering the minds of countless animals, eating one would be akin to eating a pet, or even eating myself." Replied Eragon, " Why are you one?"

" I don't know... I've never been able to eat meat. I guess it's mainly the taste. The fatty..." Ratchet was cut off by the appearance of two pinpricks of light across the road from the camp.

**AN: What are those lights? Reviews would be gladly appreciated, whether positive or critical :)**


	5. League of Ra'zac

**Some stuff to say here: I ****claim no ownership to the characters, settings, or anything else related to the Ratchet & Clank universe or the Inheritance Cycle universe. This fanfiction is 110% not-for-profit.**

**Warning: Slight and weak profanity, and some violence.  
**

**Note: This is best read at 3/4 size.**

The two pinpricks of light had startled Eragon to the extent that he jumped, unsheathed his sword, and almost lopped off the man's head, before realising it was kneeling, hands in the air, and shaking like a vibrator with Parkinsons disease.

"P-pleassse don't do itt-t..." Eragon realised it was, in fact, a Ra'zac.

"Why? All you are is man-eating scum." Eragon pointed the tip of his sword to the Ra'zac's heart.

"The League of Ra'zac do not eat humans. We grow Pork."

"Why should we believe you?"

"Wait. Let's hear what he says first. Then kill him if we must" said Ratchet.

"Thaank you... When the Ridersss wiped out the Ra'zac, the League alone repented. We alone were able to change to a lessss dangeroussss food ssssource. The ssssavage two we tried to kill, but alassss we could not. All we could do wassss hide..." The Ra'zac was interrupted as Saphira suddenly woke, and almost attacked the Ra'zac when Eragon said "Wait"

"There is an evil sssspirit among ussss who hassss clooned the two. We owe you, Eragon Sssshadessslayer, for getting rid of thoosssse two. You may enter the home of the leeeaague, and be welcomed. We have information on Sssshadesss , and if you need ussss, we are near Eoam on Beirland. Look for the floating crystal."

The Ra'zac then removed his hood, revealing that he had human skin, no beak, and long shaggy hair, but he still had the beady black eyes.

"The crystal makessss usss Human." And just like that, the Ra'zac was gone.

_What the hell was that?_ Thought Saphira.

"I think... the number of non-man-eating Ra'zac is proportional to the number of man-eating men." Said Ratchet.

"Doubt it" replied Eragon.

"You'd be surprised"

They went to sleep then, and Ratchet finally had dreamless sleep. He awoke at sunrise again, to Eragon crumbling the hair on his chin.

"What do you think?" asked Ratchet.

"About?"

"About Eoam. The floating crystal."

"I doubt it can be much more than a figurehead. What worries me is why would that crystal give the Ra'zac humanity. It's just a crystal. Unless..." Eragon trailed off. What he was thinking, Ratchet didn't know.

"Unless...?"

"It's not my place to tell you..."

"What! But..."

_It is mine._ Thought Saphira.

"Ohh"

_Eragon deems you trustworthy, and I trust him, so I trust you. Within each dragon is a gemlike stone. If we disgorge this stone, and we die, our soul and energy will stay in the stone. Also, like dragons themselves, these stones are susceptible to bursts of energy and magic. What Eragon believes the jewel is, is one of these stones. That would explain the Human Ra'zac,_ thought Saphira.

"Wow... that makes sense... somehow. I guess every species has an interesting organ. Dragons with their stones, Humans with a spleen, and I even have a swim bladder" replied Ratchet.

"That's all well and good, but that is the elves' most closely guarded secret. I need you to swear to me in the magical language that you will not speak of this to anyone who does not know." Said Eragon.

"I'll do my best..."

"Okay. Eka..." Eragon made Ratchet repeat the oath, which lasted a few minutes. He ended up telling Ratchet it meant 'I promise that I will not speak of, think of, or otherwise communicate of the souls of stone unless Eragon gives me permission in this language knowing my intent.'

"So, is that it?"

"Aye, that's it. I think we should be going now."

"Mmh"

Throughout the day, Ratchet saw as the farms and plains roll past, and gradually get broken by trees. He thought this didn't mean much, until the trees started to be gathered in clusters, and the clusters started to be gathered in clusters, until at night he reached an unbroken wall of trees.

"Here we are, Du Weldenvarden or... The Guarded Forest." Said Eragon.

"It's pretty big... I guess... but I've seen bigger." Replied Ratchet.

"Not here you won't"

They walked throughout the forest from here, as the magic prevented Saphira from flying. Very quickly, Ratchet got sores again, which Eragon occasionally healed. When they finally reached Ellesméra, or so Eragon said, Ratchet asked him who Rhunön was.

"She's the Elves' blacksmith, and she might be able to make you a new wrench." Replied Eragon.

"Really? What does she make them out of?"

"Brightsteel... a metal from falling stars."

"Is it strong?"

"Of course it is! Do you think I'd stab the mad tyrant with a Sword of Cheese?"

"I meant for my seizures."

"It was strong enough for mine"

Slowly they walked towards the centre of Ellesméra, past the hordes of beautiful Elves, until they entered the tree of the Elf Rhunön. When Eragon knocked, and a voice said "Come in, Shadeslayer." They walked in, and Ratchet was mildly surprised to see that Rhunön looked quite aged, but from what Eragon told him, it seemed that Rhunön chose to look old.

"What brings you here Eragon" she asked.

"Ratchet here, who's a Lombax – long story – has broken his wrench. He needs a new one from Brightsteel."

"Wrench? What is that?" Ratchet passed her the two halves of his wrench, and saw how her eyes widened.

"Aye, my oath doesn't allow me to make swords, but Wrenches I can make. Trouble is, there's no Brightsteel left. I used the last of it on that grey hammer."

"Ahh... and there's none under the tree. Well, I'd better be on my way. Thanks for your help"

Without another word, Eragon, Saphira, and Ratchet walked off, beyond the city, until they reached a small house on a cliff, by a stream. Eragon had told Ratchet that he inherited the home when his own one was burnt down.

"So... are any of these books or scrolls in this language?" asked Ratchet.

"No... I doubt it"

"Ahh..." Ratchet groaned. He lied down, and rested his aching muscles. The moment he was about to fall asleep, the sound of something flying at supersonic speed, and then the sound of many objects slamming into the ground.

**AN: Reviews would be gladly appreciated, whether positive or critical :)**


	6. Brightsteel!

Eragon woke instantly, and Ratchet was already out the door. They followed the trail of smoke in the sky to one of the fragments. It looked like a chunk of rusted iron with a few colours here and there. Around the chunk, were a few elves, one of them Rhunön. She walked from the nodule of metal to Eragon and Ratchet and said, "You will get your wrench now".

Over the night, Eragon and Ratchet helped Rhunön carry the chunk throughout the forest, and they used magic to help to break off a small chunk when they reached Rhunön's forge, to become his wrench.

"My oath will not prevent me from making this. However, I want to know, do you want an identical wrench, or one with some modifications?" asked Rhunön. Ratchet thought about it deeply, and he thought that just in case...

"I think I'd go for some modifications. For starters, I'd like the points at the tip to be sharper, and more elongated, so I can stab with it, then I'd like the shaft about half as thick – if that's possible – and sharpened on the side opposite to the handle" explained Ratchet.

"Ah yes... one for cutting and slashing, as well as stabbing and bashing. Do you want it longer or shorter than the one you have?"

"Maybe a few inches longer to reach further"

"And the hilt – longer or shorter?"

"Same size, I only ever hold it with one arm."

"And what colour do you want it?"

"Green"

"And do you want a gem at the base?"

"Why?"

Rhunön chuckled, "To hold energy of course!" she said, as if explaining that one plus one equalled two.

"I didn't know they did that..." Ratchet glanced at Eragon.

"I never told him" said Eragon.

"Told me what?"

"Gems can hold energy for the body to use. Rhunön, Ratchet isn't telepathic, so he can't extract energy. Unless... Unless you put on a spell that whenever Ratchet says Garjzla, the gem passes energy into him, and when he says Letta, it will stop.

"A great idea Eragon!" replied Rhunön.

"So, I have a way of getting energy _from_ the gem. How do I get energy _into_ it?" asked Ratchet.

"Hmm... How about a spell that when you say Bjart, and have the gem touching a lifeform, it will absorb energy from that lifeform until either it dies or you say Letta."

"Yeah... that could work... Okay, put the gem in."

"Very well... I shall start now. Saphira, would you be kind enough to stay and help?" asked Rhunön.

_Of course, Rhunön_, thought Saphira. The one thing that surprised Ratchet is that Rhunön sparred with him before starting on the wrench. Ratchet saw as she refined the brightsteel, mixing it with charcoal and ash, while running off impurities, until there was enough pure brightsteel to make several wrenches. She then grabbed the green pieces, and slowly hammered them together while singing in the magical language. Gradually, the metal assumed the shape of the wrench that Ratchet described, until many hours later, the wrench was finished, exactly as Ratchet asked. He picked it up once he was sure it was cool, and found that unlike his other wrench that would now feel crude, this one felt like part of his arm.

" Let's try it out!" said Rhunön. She arrayed three steel posts, and Ratchet swung his wrench at them. Each post was cut cleanly, and the blade of the wrench was not damaged, not even scratched. Ratchet let a small smile stretch across his face.

" You should go home and sleep the night. I'll have the wrench sent tomorrow morning." said Rhunön. Ratchet and Eragon walked home, and without another word, fell asleep. He dreamed of leaving the coast on a small boat. He had the sense that he was going to die.

" Who are you?" came a loud feminine voice. Ratchet awoke on the floor, an Elf looming over him. He stood up, face level with face.

" I'm... Ratchet. I'm not from this land."

"Ah... I'm Arya. Eragon!" cried Arya.

" Coming!" cried Eragon. He jumped down from the upper level, and embraced Arya in a hug. Ratchet walked over to the doorstep. The finished Wrench sat in a scabbard of cloth, as a metal scabbard would be impractical due to the shape. He held the wrench in his hand, his fingers against the finger guard, and swung it around in the thin air.

" Can I come?" asked Arya.

"Sure, but it'll be dangerous." Said Eragon.

"Danger's my middle name. Well not really, but..." Eragon laughed slightly as he gave Arya a long, passionate kiss. Ratchet turned away with a pang of jealousy. He occupied himself with a piece of paper, and drew a picture of something. Ratchet lost himself among the lines, dots, and shading, until he saw a drawing of Sasha. Longing welled up inside him as he wrenched his vision away from the drawing. Eragon and Arya jerked each other away from lip-lock.

" Is anything wrong?" asked Eragon.

" Nope, just... just... nostalgia" replied Ratchet.

"We should go" Eragon, Arya, and Ratchet all flew off on Saphira after a few goodbyes. After a day in the air, flying at breakneck speed, Saphira stopped flying at the edge of the forest. After another vegetarian meal, and Arya being surprised about Ratchet's vegetarianism, Ratchet told Eragon and Arya about his world. He told them about the aliens, planets, weapons, currencies, and spaceships.

" Weapons are sold legally?" said Arya, a look of shock on her face.

" Oh yeah, considering the chaos... we use the weapons to protect ourselves in times of conflict, which happen on average once a week." Replied Ratchet.

" Wouldn't that cause more conflict?"

" Not really, it lessens it by 10%. You need a license to activate the vendors anyway"

" What's the point if anyone can buy them?"

" The testing is very rigorous. They give you a knife and slap you. If you don't retaliate, you pass."

Arya and Ratchet continued talking about similar topics, until they looked upon a small town grown from trees at the side of a river. They had finally reached Ceris.

**Author's Note: This is just a little gift to tide you over :)**

**Grind3r out.**


	7. Laetri and the Caves

" Where do you think Laetri lives?" asked Ratchet.

" Follow me."

Arya and Ratchet followed Eragon to a small house made from a single tree, about ten yards across. Eragon knocked three times, before a voice let him and everyone else in.

" What are you looking for?" asked a masculine voice, obviously Laetri's voice.

" Information. How do we save a possessed person's soul?" asked Ratchet in return.

" Well... it's a rather difficult process. You must fill their body with light, with healing potential. You must heal that person of the darkness. The energy loss... it would kill anyone."

Now Ratchet knew what he had to do. He had to die to save everyone else.

" How do we get to the spirit?" asked Ratchet.

" Go to Mani's caves for direction, then go to wherever it shows you."

" Where is that though?"

" Go to Farthen D^ur. From there, just ask any dwarf."

" And..."

" I know where it is" said Eragon.

" Do you want to stay the night?" asked Laetri.

" You know, that might not be a bad idea" said Ratchet. They were all low on supplies, and Saphira desperately needed a rest after the recent headwind. While Eragon tended to Saphira, Ratchet asked Laetri about his story.

" Well... as you know, I'm the first sladeslayer. This story begins with the spirit. It wiped my father away like saplings before an avalanche. He became the strongest shade imaginable. All the subsequent shades have just become weaker and weaker. Eventually, a battle came to be, with my father at its head, and I fought him, before he ripped apart the darkness within. Surely Eragon told you this?"

" He did. I was wondering if there was more."

" There is. My father, was Eragon."

" What, that guy?"

" No! His namesake! The spirit was strong enough to sweep him away. Yes, my father was the first Rider. The first Shur'tugal."

" The first... "

"Yes. I found out this information on how to defeate the shade without killing the body, from Mani's caves. Go to Tronjeim, and follow the emerald tunnel, then when the path forks, your wrench will show the way."

* * *

Ratchet slept without ease, and woke earlier than usual, to a breakfast of bread. Ratchet knew that he was already in another time zone, so it altered his sleeping habits. Eragon left with Ratchet and Arya later that morning, and followed the river until they reached the huge mountains. He told Eragon and Arya more about his life, and told them more about the one-climate planets. Once they all reached the gate to the inside of a mountain, Eragon told Ratchet about how the Dwarves had hollowed out a volcano to make their capital. However, once Ratchet saw the inside, he was not _that_ intimidated.

"I've seen bigger" he said, instilling a surprised look on Saphira's face.

Eragon searched around the reasonably cone-like city, and spotted a green light only about fifty yards away. Eragon and Arya were able to run quickly to the emerald gate, but Ratchet and Saphira were left to catch up. They walked through the glistening emerald structure, and the further they walked, Ratchet's new wrench began to glow. They reached a fork of three paths, and Ratchet tested each one with his wrench. It only glowed on the left-most path, and they all walked through it. After another hundred yards, they all met with a purple cave lit from beneath the amethyst, with a small pool of water. A voice in Ratchets head said swim, so he knelt into the water, and dunked his head into it. The water had heated up significantly, and images rushed into his head at a prostigious rate. These words came together:

Give her a kiss.

Sharktooth.

Big, Black Cyclone.

Landstalker.

And after those words, Ratchet felt his mind ripped apart.

**Author's Note: I know this is unusually short, so I'll let you know there's another short one coming up. But you might have to wait for the finalé.**

**Grind3r out.**


	8. In the Mind of a Lombax

Ratchet was adrift upon loneliness. He was truly alone without his Sasha. The pinpricks of light around him in the endless space brightened and waned around him. There were three especially bright stars, one blue, two white.

_What happened to him? Why hasn't he awoken?_ so spoke Eragon's voice. Ratchet's gut fell as he realized that he was not just alone, but hearing voices, too.

_Try reaching his thoughts..._ spoke Arya.

_I'll try..._ One of the white lights appeared to explode, and Ratchet was showered with white light. But the light collected into various shapes: A gnarled root, dead deer, the bulb of a small plant, masses of dead men, and Arya.

_I can't hear anything..._

The brilliant light receded. Either Ratchet was dead, or dreaming, or he had travelled into another realm as a telepathic. The three lights faded, and the darkness became the planet Orxon, on the first challenge of the Dreadzone battlecourse, in the small area where Ratchet rodeo-ed the Landstalker; a crablike robot that scuttled along the ground shooting fast bolts of plasma beams. But here, the Landstalker was not shooting, but speaking.

" To escape, you must realise" said the Landstalker.

" Realise what?"

" That you are alone, and must save this realm from that fate."

Ratchet then had a vision. He was aboard the Phoenix, on its final mission, and just as it came through the portal, everything else in the universe was destroyed. Not only was he the last of his kind, he now knew he was the last of his universe. All that remained were the few survivors in Aberon, himself, and Sasha, carrier of the Black.

" You must destroy the Black to save this universe. Destroy the body, and save this universe. You cannot risk failure. Do not be so selfish in trying to save her."

" Ever since we first met, I have loved -"

" She would not want to kill so many. Kill her and save the rest of us."

" I can't live with her death on my hands! I-"

" THEN DIE TOO, DAMN IT!"

Ratchet had died many times before, but facing permanent death was completely new. Ratchet told himself that he had to die. Then, something changed. He realised, that he didn't mind dying, for that it meant he would finally meet with Sasha.

" You have earned your return"

Ratchet saw the Landstalker fade, and awoke underground. He arose from what seemed to be his grave, thoroughly scaring Eragon, Arya and Saphira as they were preparing to leave. After succeeding in explaining to them what happened, Ratchet explained what he had to do to save them.

"... I can't afford to have your species die because of my selfishness." finished Ratchet.

" Where is she then?"

" Sharktooth. You know where that is?

" Yes... It's not far from here"

**Author's note: My shortest one yet... Don't worry, the next one WILL be the last.**

**Grind3r out.**


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